Air Fryer Falafel (Frozen + Homemade)

Air Fryer falafel is an easy and crispy appetizer that is not only vegan but also gluten-free. This is a quick healthy snack too. Here I have shared how to make them from scratch and air frying instructions for frozen falafel.

What is Falafel?

Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern dish made from chickpeas or fava beans. The mixture is then deep-fried and served as patties or balls, usually wrapped in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini sauce (made from sesame seeds).

Here is my classic falafel and tri-color sesame falafel recipe with 3 different flavors or colors. 🙂 I love them and make them very often.

Falafel is gluten-free and high in protein and fiber. This is authentically a street food in Middle Eastern countries where these falafel are used as a vegetarian alternative to meatballs.

So we can treat this falafel as our vegan meatballs too. Also, these chickpea meatballs are high in protein. The only disadvantage was deep-frying to make them crunchy and crispy.

However, they are easy to bake in the oven too. But here we will make falafel in an air fryer. This recipe does not involve deep frying the falafel, not long time taking oven-baked as well. Instead, we will coat them in oil spray before cooking them for a less greasy but still the same crispy result.

Why these air fryer Falafel are so good?

- healthier as compared to the counterpart cooking method

- perfect crispy and crunchy outside with the soft moist inside

- lesser time to cook unlike longer baking times

- delicious, great appetizer

- plant-based and protein-rich snack

Ingredients you will need -

Garbanzo beans or chickpeas - Raw - Soak them for 8 - 10 hrs. Don't go for canned chickpeas else it will not bind properly.

Garlic & Onion - these add so much flavor to the falafel

Cilantro leaves - Adds color and flavor to the falafel

Green Chilies - To make them spicy. Decide your quantity depending on how spicy you need them to be

Spices - cumin powder, red chili powder, all spices, salt, and pepper

How to make falafel in air fryer?

Soak the chickpeas

Soak the chickpeas overnight or for 8 hrs minimum. This is best made from dry chickpeas, and not with cooked or canned chickpeas. Canned chickpeas will be difficult to bind and may fall apart while cooking.

Prepare Falafel Mixture

Then in a food processor or mixer, blend it roughly to a coarse mixture with other ingredients like onion, cilantro, spices. Don't add water during this process.

Refrigerate the mixture for 1hr and let it rest for some time. You can also keep them in the air-tight box in the refrigerator for 4 - 5 days. This is also freezer-friendly. After shaping the falafel too you can freeze it for future use.

Shape the falafel -

The next step, divide the mixture into equal portions. Grease palms and shape the mixture into balls or discs from this mixture. Preferably make smaller discs. For air frying, disc shape is too convenient (for me too). But make them in small size for best and crispy falafel. You can use a cookie cutter to shape the falafel.

Air Fry the Falafel -

Preheat the air fryer at 390 F or 200 C. Then spray oil to grease the basket. Place the shaped falafel in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Don't overlap them with each other. Now spray some oil on the falafel.

Start the air fryer at 375 F or 190 C for 12 - 15 minutes. Remove and flip the falafel carefully with help of a tong or spoon after 7 minutes.

Each air fryer cooks differently depending on its size and brand. Keep a check on the fritters. Also, small and disc-shaped falafel will get cooked faster as compared to the balls and larger-sized discs.

Air Fryer Frozen Falafel

For frozen falafel, no preparation is needed. No need to thaw the falafel. Preheat the air fryer to 400 F for 4 minutes. Then pour the packet of falafel into the basket. And cook for 10 - 12 minutes depending on the doneness you want. Shake once in the halfway at 4 minutes. Again since the air fryer cook differently, the timing may vary by 1 - 2 minutes.

Tips for best falafel

Always use dry chickpeas. Soak the raw garbanzo beans for 10 - 12 hours minimum or overnight. Then strain out the beans and blend it to a paste adding other ingredients. Then keep aside the paste for 30 - 40 minutes in the refrigerator to set.

The drier the paste is, the easier it will be to make balls and fry. Otherwise, the falafel will fall apart no matter what way you cook them.

If taking canned chickpeas, you need to add flour to the falafel which may not give the same result as only chickpea ones. Or if your mixture is wetter then add a little chickpea flour till you get desired consistency.

You can scoop out the mixture, but while shaping grease your palm with oil to shape better. Can also use a cookie cutter to make shapes.

You can experiment with herbs and spices. Originally cilantro leaves add a lot of flavor to the falafel.

Add flavors like beetroot, carrots, spinach greens, pumpkin to the falafel. Check out my tri-color sesame falafel recipe.

How To Serve Falafel?

As an appetizer - This is one of the best appetizers that are naturally vegan and gluten-free. This is served best with tzatziki (vegan) or tahini dip. At times, zhoug (the spicy cilantro dip) replaces the tahini sauce also.

Serve with pita bread - Authentically these are served with pita bread and tahini. You can also use this as a stuffing for your burrito.

Serve as falafel sandwich - Place them in slices of bread with some creamy tahini or hummus spread and some coleslaw.

Make as a burger patty - Make a larger size patty and bake them in the air fryer. Place in between burger patty and serve a whole breakfast.

Here I have made a dip of avocado cilantro lime dressing and trust me this is also too awesome as a dip with these falafels.

Recipe Card for Air Fryer Falafel

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